1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to an improvement in masonry installation of glass blocks which are laid in successive, superimposed courses to form a wall structure. In particular, the invention relates to novel, unique spacer and fabric mesh reinforcement members which are positioned horizontally between the courses of glass blocks as well as vertically between adjacent, side-by-side glass blocks as the wall structure comprising the glass blocks is being laid up by the mason.
2. State of the Art
It is well known in the prior art to provide spacers and reinforcement members in the mortar between glass blocks as the mason forms layer upon layer of the blocks. A search the patent literature produced the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
2,124,799 to C. H. Specht, dated 7/26/1938; PA1 2,157,038 to G. A. Unverferth, dated 5/2/1939; and PA1 2,346,170 to R. Kalkusch, dated 4/11/1944.
The patent to Specht discloses a reinforcing member adapted to be embedded in the mortar bed between glass building blocks. The reinforcing member comprises a wire grid made of longitudinal and transverse wires which are welded at their points of intersection. The wire grid of U.S. Pat. No. 2,124,799 is relatively costly and does not aid the mason in spacing the glass blocks during installation. However, similar type reinforcement members have been used extensively in the trade to provide increased strength to the wall construction.
The patent to Kalkusch shows a very complicated wall construction in which a cubicle-forming superstructure is made of precast concrete slabs. The slabs are laid in horizontally rows, with shorter vertical slabs spaced along a lower row to form equally spaced cubicles and to support the horizontal slabs in an upper row. Means are provided for keying the vertical slabs into a conventional masonry wall immediately behind the cubicle-forming superstructure to support the superstructure formed by the horizontal and vertical slabs. After the superstructure has been formed, glass blocks are positioned within the cubicles formed by the superstructure. Although the blocks are spaced evenly in the resulting wall structure, the system proposed in Pat. No. 2,346,170 would be prohibitively expensive and labor intensive due to the cumbersome construction of the superstructure. The system has not been used in the trade most likely because of its costly and cumbersome installation.
The patent to Unverferth discloses a spacer and seal member for glass wall construction. The spacer and seal member consists of an elongate, flexible and compressible core and a wire grid or screen wrapped completely about the core to hold the core together. A coating of sticky adhesive material is applied to the surface of the wrapped core. The adhesive is used to adhere the spacer and seal to the glass blocks, with the spacer and seal being installed between the blocks in place of conventional mortar as the wall is being constructed. A small groove is left at the exposed face of the wall construction, and a grout is applied in the groove to hide the spacer and seal positioned between the blocks. The spacer and seal of U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,038 is relatively costly to make and must be carefully handled during shipping and storage of the units as well as during construction of the wall because of the sticky adhesive applied to its outer surfaces The spacer and seal cannot be used with conventional mortars used by masons in constructing masonry walls, and possibly because of this, the spacer and seal of U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,038 have not found wide use in the trade.